Help in Lothlorien
by Celeblas
Summary: Yahoo! Chapter 2 is up, *evil glare* and you thought I couldn't do it Hmmm... A young elf is saved from Orcs by one of our favorite elves, but can he and others save her from herself? Read on and find out.
1. The Saviors

**Title**: Help in Lothlorien

**Author**: Elentari Manwe

**Date**: 08-23-02

**Summary**: A young elf is saved from Orcs by one of our favorite elves, but can he and others save her from herself? Read on and find out.

**Rating**: PG-13 (due to brutal torture scenes later on in the story)

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Chapter 1

"The Saviors"

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Her hands ached and her head hurt, the bindings on her wrists dug into her flesh and her ankles burned with the iron shackles. Her dress was torn and her gaze was hazy, she prayed to the great Varda to take her swiftly from this hell. 

Orcs had attacked their camp and all her human guards had been killed, she on the other hand was spared or so it seemed then. She grimaced as she lifted her head slightly, she was being carried by an Orcs, 'this is not dignified' she thought, then sighed, 'though when are Orcs ever dignified?' her mind spoke to itself for many an hour over the weeks of travel, the trees around her spoke of sadness or did not speak at all. She felt despair clutch at her heart, 'oh please take me soon' she prayed silently. The Orcs mad a torture thing of her lithe and strong body, and she fell into a deep depression. Her mind wandered back to the good days when she would go and climb a tree and spend all day just listening to it sing. 'But those days are over' her mind prodded, she fell asleep to the roars and stench of the Orcs.

The next day she was awakened by a slap across the cheek, her blue eyes came into focus again and she felt herself once more being hoisted up onto the shoulder of an Orc. 'Another endless day' she thought to herself. The Orcs ran nonstop through the meadows and the scent of the flowers blooming reached her nose and she felt a bit of happiness grace her being, but it was quickly snuffed out when the Orcs trampled the flora. Tears came once more to her eyes and ran down her face. Oh how she longed for a bath, a soft rain would be nicer than the stench of the Orcs. Chancing a quick glance around she saw that they were just outside the Golden Wood, but her heart fell when she realized it must be an illusion, 'Caused by stress, no doubt' she thought. Closing her tear-filled eyes again, she strained to hear any sound other than the Orcs labored breathing or the tromp of foul feet on the green grass, but no sound would come, even the sound of the Orcs seemed distant. 'Finally' she thought, 'Varda was set grace down upon me, I will finally see my father and mother and brother again' she smiled the first true smile in a long time. But nothing but the smell of Orcs and the screams of trees was her greeting when her eyes opened.

            As they stopped she was unceremoniously dumped to the ground, she curled up in a tight ball, which was her normal way of sleeping these days. Tears rolled out of tightly closed eyes. As camp was made she chanced a look at the stars, but could not see them, only trees and golden leaves, which reflected the light of Ithil. Sighing she thought no more of it, 'Probably another hopeful hallucination' her mind surrendered, rolling over her long platinum hair draped over her being and she fell into an uneasy sleep. 

            In the middle of the night she awoke to the broken growls and roars of Orcs, the firelight had almost died and she could only see shadows running to and fro. She huddled against a tree for comfort from the sounds; harsh screams of agony reached her delicate pointed ears, and the whistle of arrows flying through the air was a nervous pinch to her heart. After the screams had died down and silence retook the night she carefully looked around, the fire was lit now and more shadows could be seen. But they were different, they were tall and elegant each movement carefully measured and poised for the best motion. She tried to rise but the pain stopped her and she fell back to the earth with a 'thump' all the shadows seemed to turn to her as if they had not seen her there before. One walked up to her a shadowed hand reached for her, and as it clasped her shoulder, she screamed, her voice filled with despair and fear, "Tampa! Kela! Saes..Kela..1" tears streamed down her face once more as she trailed off. To her surprise the hand let her shoulder go. The being stood tall and straight and whistled, within a moment an arrow that was aflame flew into the fire and it blazed afire. Her tightly clenched eyes were buried into raw, bloody, shackled hands. Sobs wracked her body.

A voice broke her from her grief, "Gorga il', Vanyawen2" as her ears picked up those four little words, spoken in her native tongue, she looked up. Standing there, tall and proud, was an elf, his silvery hair glistened in the moonlight and his blue eyes stared down upon her gently. She blinked a few times, unbelieving what she was seeing. He bent down to her level again and reached out a hand to her paler than pale face. She involuntarily recoiled against the tree, her eyes filled with a fear that the elf could very well understand. Nodding he dropped his hand and said, "Im Haldir o' Lothlorien3" He looked at her questionably and said, "ar' lle?4" She momentarily paused before answering him, "Im Luinkuiel o' Imladris5" her voice broke as she spoke her name for the first time in weeks,. Haldir once more reached a hand out to the elf; she recoiled slightly then set a pale quivering shackled hand into his. 

            He drew her up to him and as she stood her legs gave way beneath her, but Haldir, being the quicksilver elf he is, caught her. Scooping her into his arms she gripped tightly to his pale hunting tunic, whole body tense, but slowly, she relaxed in his grip. She breathed in deep the forest smell of the elf, for fear it was a dream and she would wake up surrounded by stinking Orcs again. Looking down at the shivering bundle in his arms Haldir called Orophin over, the healer among the three brothers. Rushing over to his brother Orophin took in the state of the female-elf in his brothers' arms. Her face was pale, and a cut was across her left cheek, obtained a while ago and had since stopped bleeding. The shackles on her wrists, were heavy and the soft flesh beneath it was at its' mercy. 

Orophin looked around the dead Orc bodies and found what he was looking for. Walking back to his brother he held aloft the keys to her imprisonments. Soft clicking noises could be heard as Orophin removed the iron heights from the she-elfs limbs. After a moment examining the wounds Orophin applied a salve to Liunkuiels' wrists and ankles, then wrapped them in soft white bandages. The pale body shivered again in Haldirs' grip, her skin had turned an icy cold. "Lye san he a' i' Arwen6", Orophin nodded and they took off running towards the Havens of Lothlorien, three of the other elves following them.

            As Haldir ran, the she-elf in his grip was mumbling something in her delusion, "Ta naa..neuma!..Tua!..R-Rima!..7" Haldir looked down on the pale elf, her eyes were glazing over and were half closed, a sign that death was near, her skin related nothing of the bright luminescence of the elven kin, no glow, only a pasty unhealthy pallor was there, he glanced down once more at her and said, "Tessa..8" a grim determination fell over his face and he ran faster. He prayed he would make it in time. 

**To Be Continued..  **

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1) 'Stop! Stay Away! Please..Stay Away..'

2) 'Fear not, Fair-Maiden'

3) 'I am Haldir of Lothlorien' 

4) 'and you?'

5) 'I am Luinkuiel of Rivendell' (Luinkuiel means 'blue crescent-moon maiden')

6) 'We must take her to the Lady'

7) 'It's a..trap!..Help!..R-Run!..' 

8) 'Hold on..'    

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Well there you have it. I was bored one day and this popped into my head, tell me what cha think, if you like it, I'll write more, if not, I'll scratch it. Your choice. Smash it? or Trash it?

Ele.


	2. The Flickering Light of Faith

**Title**: Help in Lothlorien

**Author**: Elentari Manwe

**Date**: 08-23-02

**Summary**: A young elf is saved from Orcs by one of our favorite elves, but can he and others save her from herself? Read on and find out.

**Rating**: PG-13 (due to brutal torture scenes later on in the story)

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Chapter 2

"The Flickering Light of Faith"

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_"No! Leave her be!" the human cried out for the young Elf. "Tua nin! Ereol!1" She screamed, her arms were cast behind her back, as she fought, and iron restraints were binded closely to the wrists. The Orcs laid waste to their camp and the only survivor was their prisoner. Tears of pain fell down her cheeks as she was carried away. 'ten'oio..ten'oio melamin..ten'oio...2' her mind whispered as the last glimpses of her ruined camp was seen._

Haldir and his companions watched the pale elf as she slept, her eyes were closed and it irked them all. A sheen of sweat shown on her forehead and she was cold to the touch. Haldir looked over at his brothers, Orophin and Rumil, and the two other guards, Donalphion and Thaurmandu. Next he gazed at the sleeping she-elf, she was curled in their sleep blankets, but still she shivered. 

They had stopped by Nimrodel, for a short rest. But the state of the she-elf caused them to tarry there longer than was expected. Thaurmandu had suggested that they head to the talon, which was nearby, but Haldir advised against it. He rose from his place near Luinkuiel and walked to the stream to retrieve a curved elven flask full of water. As he pressed the healing liquid to Luinkuiels' lips it entered and, Haldir was happy to see, the automatic swallowing response. Sighing Haldir sat once more. As he watched the elf, her eyes flew open and she jerked up just to fall back down with a 'thump'. Her eyes frantically searched out a reason for her presence there and a reason for the quiet but none would come. "Steady" Haldir said setting a hand on her shoulder, "You are still very weak" She looked up at him unbelieving, "I-I thought you were a dream" her voice was quiet and raspy. Haldir smiled down on her, "And, yet you can see we are flesh and blood" as if to prove this he took her small hand in his, its' cold was chilling. She smiled a bit then closed her eyes again. Haldir felt her hand go limp in his; she had fallen asleep.

Haldir watched as Luinkuiel slept, her brow was furrowed and her head lulled back and forth, it was clear her dream was unsettling. 

"Ereol?" She said her voice echoed in the chasm of emptiness. She heard whispers all around her, looking left a sort of round window appeared and she looked through. There stood herself and Ereol, hand in hand they were and beside a stream they stood. She listened as they spoke, "I will not let you take the choice of Luthien for me" he said raising her hand to his lips, "But I do not wish to lose you" she said wholeheartedly, "And you never will, not if you remember me," he looked up from her hand to her face, "Will you remember me?" he asked, she was nearly brimming with tears, as she nodded, "Yes, my love, forever" they shared a passionate kiss an then the window faded. "Forever, Ereol" she whispered as she turned herself away from the vanished window. At that moment a Balrog looking creature appeared and—

Luinkuiel jerked upwards, she had been scared out of her dream. She looked around and saw the others were preparing to leave. She tried to stand but her ankles had not had enough time to heal and she collapsed back to the ground. Haldir came to her and scooped her up in strong arms, and she held around his neck. 

They started off; the elves ran so fast that, Luinkuiel fell asleep listening to the wind howl by.          

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1) 'Help me! Ereol!'

2) 'forever...forever my love...forever...'

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I know it's kinda short and not my best but, I think it's ok, and I sorta had a writers block, and this is all I could come up with. Tell me what you think. Flames are welcome but try to make them constructive, if they aren't they will help heat my room as I write more.                ~^-^~.

Ele.


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